Does It Matter What God Says? - Johnny Elmore

Well, last evening, we talked about the credibility that we

can put in the, in the Bible, the offered proofs of its

inspiration and its veracity. And tonight I want to sort of

continue in that vein of thought and say that if we believe in

God, as the Supreme Being, who created the heavens and the

Earth and all things, therein then we must also believe.

Believe that God has all power and authority, David describe

God as being Eternal omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent in

Psalm 20 and verse 1. David said Lord, thou has been

our Dwelling Place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth or ever.

Thou has formed the earth and the world even from Everlasting

to Everlasting Thou Art God. A young children, want to know,

where did God come from, and this passage answers that

question. It says that God is from

Everlasting to Everlasting. He didn't come from anywhere.

He's not going anywhere. He is the self-existent Eternal

God. Again, in Exodus 3 and 14, God

said unto Moses, I am that I am. And he said, thus, shalt thou

say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you You

in Genesis 17 and 1. The Bible tells us that when

Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram

and said unto him, I am the almighty God.

Walk there, before me and be thou perfect.

Yes, God is Almighty. That is omniscient.

He's um, omnipotent. He is omniscient.

All-knowing omnipresent and eternal.

Now considering this we see that all authority or power has been

committed to Christ after Jesus had conquered death, hell and

the grave. He stood before his disciples on

the mountains said. All power is given unto me in

the revised version. This is rendered all authority,

is given unto me and in Matthew 17, and verse 5.

That we noticed a moment ago, Jesus was on the mountain.

That is called the Mount of transfiguration with his

disciples we hear God acknowledging Christ and saying

this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased hear.

Ye him that was in response to a suggestion by Imola by Peter

that they build three Tabernacles one for Moses and

one for Elijah and one for Christ.

Well, you know, there was a time when men had to listen to Moses.

There was a time when then had to give heed to Elijah.

But now God says, I've committed all authority to Christ.

You hear him in the Hebrews 11 and verse 1, we hear the Divine

writer saying God who at sundry times and in divers manners

spake in time past unto the father's by the prophets hath in

these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath

appointed. Heir of All Things by whom also,

he made the world's whoo. Being the brightness of his

glory and the express image of his person and upholding All

Things by the word of his power. When he had by himself purged,

our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Now, these Apostles that Jesus chose were good men, he chose

them from the low walks of life. He took them under his tuition

and talk them for three and a half years and Christ delegated

this authority to the apostles to speak for him.

And the Holy Spirit, unerringly guided those Apostles.

This we learn from God's word and John 17 verses 8 and 14, 16

John 17:8

and 13 and 14. And 26.

Now, these, holy inspired men of the 1st Century revealed and

confirmed the final message of God to man all whooping,

Practice in religion what is not contained in the apostles

doctrine. That is the teaching of the

Apostles, either under specific or under generic Authority sin

in doing. So according to Galatians 1

Galatians 1:6–9

verses 6 through 9 in that place.

The Apostle Paul said that that if any man was preaching,

something that was not in accord with God.

With what the Apostle Paul spake, he said, let him be

accursed. Now again these holy men of God,

spoke for Christ and acceptance of this truth that this is

Authority from God and it is specific and generic Authority

as well. That would revolutionize this

world of ours because acceptance of this truth would prohibit

people from Going back to the Old Testament for religious

Authority. It would also make void 0,

man-made, rules and human Creed's.

It would put the pope and other human officers out of business.

It would put an end to do nomination alone.

Die aggressive practices if men would simply accept the fact

that God has made his last Revelation to man and it

contains the authority that God has.

Well, remember God. God has all authority.

He committed this authority to his son, Jesus Christ.

Our Savior delegated authority to the apostles and they wrote

it down for us and we have it in this little old black back book.

That we call the Bible God's. Holy word. now, our question

tonight is simply this Does it really matter what God says?

You know, if we worked and establish the truth of God's

word, then people still need to know how to answer this

question. Does it make any difference?

What God has said, are we free to accept it or to ignore it to

reject it or to receive it? Does it make any difference?

I say we're living in a time and in a society today that tells

you, it doesn't matter. They tell us that oil.

Well, if you want to deprive yourself by living, according to

the strict mandates of God's word, then that's all right.

But you see that's not for everybody.

They say one of our president said in an interview that was

printed in Christianity today that the approach to specific

moral issues should Change as popular opinion changes.

In other words, it doesn't really matter what God says what

matters is public opinion? What it says and I say this is

had a pervasive influence on our society today.

In fact, it's had a pervasive influence on the church and some

Christians have been heard to say that times have changed and

the church should change along with the times and all listen,

they're not talking about modes, Travel, they're not talking

about methods of communication, they're not talking about rules

of physical life. They're talking about obedience

to the Eternal laws of God and this is where we come in

conflict with God's will. Sometimes people like to think

that we have altered the elementary, the Eternal truths

of God's revelation, but we haven't altered God, and his

character and his law, we have an altered sin, And sinners.

So we see that this is error I find in the world today and

sometimes in the church, there is a Live and Let Live Spirit.

There's an attitude that were to say, nothing that would by any

stretch of imagination, offend anyone, it's to be nothing but

love, love, love, and I submit that, there is no Backbone in

that kind of preaching. There's no backbone and gospel

preaching if done under those circumstances and many times,

unless that's what you're preaching, people despise the

nature of it and they also despise the man who preaches it.

I asked tonight, have we become so broad-minded, so liberal and

view that it doesn't really matter.

What God says how we become so tolerant that anything you want

to believe anything. Thing you want a practice anyway

you want to worship is simply thought to be okay.

Have we reached the point in our society today, where we just

reach up and mentally, turn off, anyone?

Who preaches, something. Contrary to what we've always

believed or taught and where we categorically reject anything

that does not meet our approval. Well I certainly hope that is

not the case and I don't believe it is with the great majority of

people who are Members of the body of Christ.

Again, we ask the question, does it really matter what God says?

You know, we have to have authority in religion and when

Jesus took those those little old cords and drove the money

changers out of the temple, the scribes and Pharisees asked him

this question by what Authority doest, thou these things.

And Jesus told them, well, I'll tell you what my authority is,

if you'll answer a question for me.

He sent the baptism of John. Was it was it of heaven or of

men? And they knew they were in a

dilemma. They were no match for the Son

of God, because they knew, if they, if they said, well, John's

baptism was from Heaven. He's going to say, why didn't

you receive it on the other hand?

If they said, well, it was of men, then they had to deal with

the people because all the people believe John was a

prophet. So they said we can't tell.

Yes, they knew that you had to have authority in religion and

you know over there in God's book in the third chapter of

Colossians he says whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in

the name of the Lord. Jesus giving.

Thanks to God and the father by him.

Think about that folks. Everything we do in religion in

word or deed has to be done in the name of the Lord, Jesus

Christ. Now, what does that mean?

And let me ask you this question.

Suppose some night. The sheriff comes to your house.

Pulls out his pistol and takes the butt of it and knocks on the

door and said, open up in the name of the law.

What does that mean? That means open up by the

authority of the law, doesn't it?

He has the authority to tell you to open that door and the same

is true. When we do things in the name of

the Lord, that means by his authority, we must have

authority. In religion and God has given

that authority to Christ to tell us what to do Christ.

Gave it to the apostles to tell us what to do.

They committed it to writing and we have it in our possession

tonight. Does God really mean what he

says? Well, I submit that it matters

what God says. If you're interested in a

productive happy life, I want you to look for a moment at Adam

and Eve. Again this evening how

beautiful, how Carefree how happy how fruitful?

How productive must have been their lives?

In the Garden of Eden? I want you to imagine for a

moment. What it must have been like to

live in a paradise of beauty and safety where there was no fear

of anything. There was no disease, no death,

no hazards, no hunger, no poverty.

It knowing Zarate. No sorrow, no tears.

The temperature was always perfect.

The food must have been new and exciting.

Every day. The company was superb because

they lived in concert with their maker and Creator.

And all was well until they listen to the voice of the

tempter. And let me tell you, if you

doubt that it matters what God says, let me remind you that in

our society today are prisons and jails are full.

Or did you know that there are over 1 million Americans in

jail? Let me show your our hospitals

and nursing homes that are bulging at the seams.

Let me take you to the insane asylums that are full.

Let me show you the cemeteries where the marble shafts shoot

Skyward. Reminding us of the death of

loved ones. Let me show you the wasted

blasted lives of those hooked on drugs and alcohol.

We have over 12 million known alcoholics in.

Our society today, let me show you the images of millions of

hungry babies and desperate men and women who can't feed them,

who are literally starving to death.

What's the reason for all of this Sadness and Sorrow?

Every bit of it was caused by those who think that, it didn't

really matter. What God says, sin got into the

world as a consequence of Adam and Eve's transgression.

And the result was all of this trouble that we see around us

today. The Bible says, by one man sin

entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon

all men, that's in Romans 5, and verse 12, look at Kane.

Came the son of Adam and Eve their firstborn was like some of

our modern stood, a who feel like it what they want and what

they think. Supersedes everything else you

see. Cain felt that it didn't really

matter. What God Said.

Evidently God had given Specific Instructions about how they were

to worship God. Somebody said, how do you know

that while the Bible says in Hebrews 11 and forth?

A table walk by faith, that by faith Abel offered unto God, a

more excellent sacrifice than Cain.

How did he get Faith? Why the Bible says in Romans 10

and 17 that Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word

of God? So, I have evidence there that

Kane was instructed about what to do in the matter of worship.

But instead of doing what God had said, evidently he got

something else. And when God accepted able and

his offering and rejected Cain and his offering Cain became

jealous of his brother, this jealousy turned to Envy.

Envy turn to anger, anger turned to murder.

And he killed his brother in an envious jealous rage evidently

shading the first human blood upon the face of the Earth and

when God questioned him about it, it he replied in a very

Cavalier fashion. Am I?

My Brother's Keeper Kane, lost communion with God.

He was driven away from the presence of the Lord.

He became a vagabond in a fugitive in the earth and we

hear him cry out in despair. My Punishment is greater than I

can, bear Genesis 4 and verse 13.

Oh I say if you're interested in living a happy productive life

then it does matter what God says, in fact, nothing upon the

face of this Earth is more important and more urgent than

what God says. But it also matters if we're

concerned about the future of our children and grandchildren

Wouldn't be so bad. I guess to live just a wild

Reckless life. If we were the only ones

affected, But you know, there are others to consider and there

are so many precious boys and girls today who would grow up to

be moral spiritually minded Christians if their parents

really believed that it mattered what God Said I submit that the

real reason that that's not the case as their parents, do not

believe it is necessary to set the right example before them

and teach them the precepts of God.

There are plenty of children today who can tell you the plot

of the latest latest movie, but they couldn't describe the

scheme of redemption that can tell you the names of all the

actors and actresses in Hollywood, but they couldn't

name the 12 apostles. If their lives depended upon it,

they can quote baseball, and basketball and football

statistics. But they couldn't name the books

of the Bible and the reason maybe because their parents

couldn't do that, either make No mistake about it, friends the

battle for the minds. And The Souls of our children,

is being fought and either won or lost in our homes.

Our attitude toward What God Says.

And our attention in our obedience to that is going to

impact the lives of our children and grandchildren.

Now I know that old Maxim. Spare the rod and spoil.

The child is not in the Bible. That's one of those old Chimney

Corner sayings but the the equivalent of that is found in

the Bible when it says in Proverbs 22 and 6, train up a

child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not

depart from it. Now training is a different word

from teach. Beecher said, children are not

so much to be taught, as to be trained to teach a child, is to

give him ideas to train him, is to reduce those ideas to

practice. Now, if you think that your

example and your attitude toward What God Says does not affect

your children and grandchildren, then you need to learn some of

the vital lesson. Of the Bible's, I want you to

look for a moment at David. David's a great man.

He's describing the 13th chapter of acts as a man after God's Own

Heart. David was passionately loyal to

God. He's rightly regarded as a

patriot, a resourceful executive, a wise administrator,

but I want to tell you this, as a parent, David was an utter

failure. His great career was without a

blemish until he came. Aim to mature years in an idol

and evil. Our he coveted the beautiful

woman Bathsheba, who was uriah's wife He committed adultery with

her and to cover his sin. He then plotted the murder of

her husband and when he was confronted by God's Prophet old

Nathan, He warned him that his attitude toward the word of God

would soon bear, bitter fruit. And that the sword would never

depart from his house and how true that was, what sorrow what

heartbreak came to David through his children, one son, amnon

raped, his own half sister, Tamar David's daughter and two

years later. Another son, Absalom Tamar

Tamers, brother plotted. The murder of Eminent and it was

carried out by his servants. Now, Absalom was greatly loved

by David because he was one of these dashing swashbuckling

handsome, young men who had a way with people.

Absalom War, elegant clothing. He had long.

Well, groomed hair, and when he drove his big Chariot through

the roads and streets, 50 men ran in front of him pretty soon,

he began to covet the power and the kingdom of his father, David

and provoked, a rebellion and David pleaded with his captain

of his host. Joab to deal gently with the

young man, for my sake, but joab.

Ooh, that absalom's death was necessary if he would put down

the rebellion. And when he was surrounded with

10 men, they shot those three, darts into the heart of Absalom.

And it also penetrated the heart of King David.

And one of the saddest scenes of the Bible, joab, dispatched, a

kushite to go with the message of absalom's death, but a godly

man named a him. I has wanted to go and David

Made it well ahem, I is outran, the other man.

And as soon as he entered the gate, David had a question on

his lips and you know, that question was not, did we win?

What were our casualties? How did the battle go?

Oh no, it was his the young man, Absalom safe.

Him. I is love the king so deeply

that he couldn't even answer the question and about that time,

the kushite messenger ran up and David ask again, is the young

man, Absalom safe and the kushite replied, the enemies of

my Lord and King, and all that Rise Against Lee to do the hurt.

Be as that young man is and David perceived the answer,

David's cries. He went to the wall above the

gate, to his chamber. Echoes down through the

corridors of time. All Absalom Absalom, my son, my

son Absalom would. I died for thee?

Oh Absalom, my son. My son.

Never forget, friends. That it does matter what God

says. Let me tell you that your

attitude your example toward What God Says is the strongest

influence at times in the life of your children, what a parent

is always more important than what he says, but then I submit

it really matters what God say is if we're concerned about the

consequences of sin, It seems to me that many people both in the

church and out of the church have accepted, the teaching of

universalism that everybody is ultimately going to be saved.

In fact, many people have no patience at all with the

preacher who tells of the fate of Sinners, many want little or

nothing said from our pulpits. About the Doom of unregenerate.

Sinners reminds me of people's attitude toward the dangers of

smoking. Poking few years ago on The

Tonight Show, we're told Johnny Carson was talking about deep

sea diving, and interviewing a deep-sea diver.

And the man demonstrated with a film was showing an underwater

gun whereby. He could defend himself against

sharks. And in this film clip, he shot

this, this gun and immediately it killed the shark instantly.

And Carson said, wow, what was in that shot?

And the divers answer was bleeped out.

Because they had a cigarette sponsor for the program later,

it was revealed to be nicotine. You see the sponsors did not

want the audience to know the consequences of cigarette

smoking? And many people are like that

about seein? They don't want people to know

and they don't want to know about the consequences of sin.

Did you know that many people want to believe that everybody

will ultimately be saved regardless of their Virtual

condition yes, no matter that there was no faith or obedience,

people are judged to be saved. No matter how careless, how

indifferent how disobedient one may have been.

He's judged to be saved. Little girl, went to the

cemetery with her father. One time they were walking

around looking at the headstones, loved one in heaven

asleep, in Jesus. And all of those wonderful

sayings, the little girl. Remote where the bad people were

buried. It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Well, according to them, it's practically impossible for

anybody to be lost and people have told me, well, you know,

I'm not a bad person, I'm no worse than anybody else.

And, of course, that may be true.

But I'd like to remind you, that the rich man, of Luke 16 was

lost, wasn't he? Yes, the Bible says, and in

hell, he lift up his eyes. Sighs being in torments, Luke 16

and verse 23. Remember this was after death

and before the Judgment, because you remember what that rich man

said, he said I have five Brethren living, they were still

alive. This was before the final

judgment, this was after death. So in the light of this passage

alone, the theory of universalism is false Many other

Bible passages support The View. That the doctrine of universal

salvation is false. Look at Romans 3, and verse 23,

where Paul said, for all have sinned and come short of the

glory of God, what happens to those who are guilty of sin,

Romans, 6, and 23 said, for the wages of sin is death.

But the gift of God, is eternal life through.

Jesus Christ, Our Lord, if you serve Satan, all of your days,

if you give him the strength of your youth, And you give your

years to him and you never obey the gospel.

Listen, he's going to pay you your wages what you've earned

and what is it that he's going to give you White's death

separation from all that's holy separation from all that's good

and glorious. You know, the death that's

completed here, is not separation of the spirit from

the body. It's the separation of the soul

from God. It's that Eternal casting away

from God's presence because he says, on the other hand, the

gift of God is eternal life. So he's talking about eternal

death and eternal life. Again, Ezekiel 18 and 20.

It says the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

The son shall not bear. The iniquity of the father.

Neither shall the father bear, the iniquity of the son, the

righteousness of the righteous, shall be upon him.

And the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him and Daniel 12.

And to the prophet said, many of them that sleep in the dust of

the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to

shame and everlasting contempt. Again, in Matthew 7, and verse

13. Jesus said, enter ye in at the

strait gate for wide is the gate and Broad is the way which

leadeth the destruction and many there be which go in thereat

because Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth

unto life and few there. Be that find it again in John,

the 5th chapter and verse 28. Jesus said Marvel, not at this

for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the

graves. Shall hear his voice and shall

come forth. They that have done good unto

the resurrection of life and they have done evil unto, the

resurrection of damnation in Matthew. 25 and verse 46.

Jesus spoke of those on the left hand and he said, these shall go

away into Everlasting punishment, but the righteous

into life, eternal. Oh, and then I meet others who

have evidently accepted the doctrine of once saved always

saved. They really believe that because

one time they confess the name of Christ and were baptized,

they shall be eternally saved. You know, I've talking with many

broken hearted mothers who cling to that fragile hope that

because their child, their loved one was baptized one time that

they are eternally saved. But I would remind you friends

that the rich man of Luke, 16 called Abraham father.

And Abraham referred to him as son.

Now, that means that he was a descendant of Abraham.

One who had been born into God's covenant during the Mosaic.

Dispensation he was a covenanted person.

So we have an example of a covenanted person who died and

lost his soul. Look, also again at another

passage. This is the parable of the

fishing, net in Matthew, 13 and verse 47.

I wear the Savior say it again. The Kingdom of Heaven is like

unto a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every

kind, which when it was full, they drew to Shore and sat down

and gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away.

So shall it? Be at the end of the world, the

Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the

just and shall cast them into the furnace of fire and there

shall be wailing. And gnashing of teeth from the

kingdom of heaven. The angel look divided, some and

cast them into the furnace of fire.

Now, think about this. The only way to get in this

kingdom is how by the new birth, isn't it?

Because Jesus said in John 3 and 5 except a man be born of water

and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

So from these conclusions, it's obvious that some who have been

born again who have entered into the kingdom have become Wicked

and we'll finally be cast into the furnace of fire in writing

to the children of God, who were dangerously close to losing

their souls and inspired Penman Road.

Wrote in Hebrews 10 and verse 35, cast, not away.

Therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward

for. You have need of patience that

after you have done the will of God you might receive the

promise again and Hebrews 4 and verse 1.

He said, let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of

entering into his rest. Any of you should seem to come

short of it again and Hebrews 3 and verse 12, we hear the same

writer saying Take heed Brethren lest there, be in any of you, an

evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living.

God, now there's no doubt in my mind that God is merciful

compassionate, and loving the Bible pictures him as this kind

of God, after all God gave us, Jesus didn't he?

He gave us the church, the Bible, all All spiritual

necessities of life but that same Bible that says God is love

first. John four and eight also

declares in Hebrews 12 and verse 29.

That our God is a consuming fire.

Remember how God has dealt with sinners in the past.

He turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt, he consumed

nadab and abihu with fire. He burned, Sodom and Gomorrah

from the face of the Earth, he destroyed the An Army in the

midst of the Red Sea, and he killed hundred and eighty-five

thousand of snow crabs troops in one night.

He drowned, every person living in Noah's day except those eight

Souls who were in The Ark. The Bible tells us of the fate

of Judas, who betrayed our Lord. It says, he by transgression

fell that he might go to his own place acts 1 and verse 25.

What was that? That place.

Well, Jesus said of the of the Apostles none of these is lost,

save the Son of Perdition. So we know what that place was

does. It matter what God says?

Well it certainly does if you're concerned about the consequences

of sin and although Jesus loved the whole world so much that he

gave himself for it. Jesus was called the Friend of

Sinners and yet the strongest word Ever to fall from human

lips were spoken about the punishment for sin by Jesus the

word for hell, which describes the Lake of Fire.

Eternal punishment is the word. Gehenna, that's found 12 times

in the New Testament. Did you know that 11 of those 12

times? It was the Gentle Savior From

Galilee who use that word. It's a contradiction and thought

to say that you believe in a person and yet you don't believe

what he says. And so if you really trust the

master, you'll receive all of his teaching rather than

accepting only what you want and rejecting the rest.

But then I want to mention, lastly, tonight, That it

matters. If we intend to make Heaven our

Eternal home Maybe it wouldn't be so tragic to ignore the

message of God. If death were the end of it all,

as many people believe. There are some materialist to

think, when a man dies that ends it all.

And that's certainly a gloomy opinion.

But if the rich man were here tonight, he could say, well, I

died. All right, but I had an

existence in the spirit world. Don't believe those who tell

you, otherwise, It is Saint that Alexander Campbell. and, His

Nemesis that he debated about whether or not. the Bible is

true and whether or not Christianity is true, were

discussing one time in a meeting after that famous debate over

God's Little acre where all of his loved ones were buried and

this man remarked he said, you know, I have no fear of death.

I have no fear of death or of punishment and Alexander

Campbell said, well, do you have any hope and death?

He said, oh no, I have no hope and death.

He said, well, look out you under it, that Ops feeding out.

Younger says, you're in the same condition.

He has no fear of death and yet he has no hope of in death.

Well, a person should realize the consequences of living in

sin because man is more than simply animal life.

The Apostle Paul said in second, Corinthians 4 and 16, though?

Our outward, man, perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by

day. Now that Spirit are the inward

Man. Simply lives in this body.

It's called a tabernacle by the Apostle.

Paul in second Corinthians five. If and, when a person dies,

there's a separation of the two in recording, When Rachel died

in childbirth, here's what Moses wrote in Genesis, 35 and 18.

He said it came to pass. As her soul was departing for.

She died that she called his name benoni.

But his father called him Benjamin note.

The clarity of language. They're a departure of her soul

from her body is called Death Solomon said that when one dies,

the spirit returns to God, who gave it in?

Other words to his disposal to do with it, as he sees, fit

Ecclesiastes, 12 and 7, and James made it very clear when he

said in James 2 and 26, that the body without the spirit is dead,

To overthrow the materialistic a nihilist, you nice view of the

Sadducees who didn't believe in Angel.

They didn't believe in a resurrection.

They didn't believe in a life after death.

They're sort of like our modern Jehovah Witnesses in that

respect. But Jesus, quoted the language

that God used to describe himself to Moses.

And although it had been hundreds of years since Abraham,

Isaac, and Jacob had lived Jesus.

Quoted God. As saying, I am the god of

Abraham and the god of Jacob, and the god of Isaac.

He didn't say, I was the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or I

used to be the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or I will be

the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He said, I am in other words, in some sense, those great

Patriarchs were still living as far.

His God was concerned and Jesus. Then added God is not the god of

the dead, but of the living, you know, I've asked the witnesses

many times to complete this syllogism.

God is the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God is not the

god of the lip of the dead, but of the living there, for what

Well, that conclusion necessarily is, there is a sense

in which Abraham Isaac and Jacob still live.

Luke 20 and verse 38 record. Jesus is saying for all live

unto him, that means there's an afterlife That means that

there's something beyond the grave.

It's not all of life to live if prepared and it's not all of

death to die if unprepared either.

You and I are going to be in a place of waste and loss.

Where hope is a stranger where no gospel ray of light has ever

penetrated, or we are going to be in the presence of God

Christ, the Holy Spirit, the angels and the redeem spirits of

just men made perfect because heaven is a prepared place for a

prepared people. I've heard people say, oh, you

know, if I'm lucky to get to heaven, if I'm lucky enough to

get to heaven, I don't care if I just live a little cabin out

here in the corner somewhere. Well, let me tell you something,

folks. If you go to heaven, it will it

be? Because you were lucky, it won't

be because Dame Fortune Smiled On you it won't be as some

people count it. When they win the lottery, that

your lucky number is come up, it won't be because you've won and

some kind of a Celestial dice roll.

It will be because you have heeded, the words of almighty

God, it will be because you have done what the Apostle Peter

said. Ed and that's given diligence to

make your calling and election. Sure.

I'm through tonight, I may be speaking to someone who's never

obeyed, the gospel and never tendered obedience to the

commands of God. Let me tell you very clearly and

plainly. As I know how what God has

commanded you to do. You know, Jesus said not every

one that saith unto me Lord. Lord shall enter the kingdom of

heaven, but he that, doeth, the will of My Father, which is in

heaven, you know, if I Never bring people to ask the

question. What is God's will for me?

I can tell them quite plainly. Jesus said, this is the will of

God that you believe on him that I sent me.

We must believe in Jesus. We have to have faith in him and

without faith. It's impossible to please God.

Again, we must repent of sins. Jesus says, unless you repent,

you except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

We Have to acknowledge Christ. Matthew 10:32.

Matthew 10:32

We have to be buried with the Lord in baptism and Jesus said

that when you do that, you will be saved from your sins.

What happens to save people? While the Bible says in Acts

Acts 2:47

2:47, that the Lord adds the save to the church, that means

your name is written in heaven and recorded in glory.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

would like any additional information or you would like to

receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.

Please email us at info at True Church of Christ

Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays

at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our

honored guest.